After finishing in the top spot among private and public organizations a year ago, UNL opened on Nov. 2 its annual effort to collect contributions for the Lincoln-area Combined Campaign for Health and Human Services. “Making the World a Better Place” is the 2010 campaign theme.

UNL was first among all public and private organizations with a donation total of $408,685 a year ago. The previous four years, UNL was second among all organizations.

All university personnel should have received a Combined Campaign information packet, with letters and contribution materials. Information is also available online at http://go.unl.edu/co5.

Rita Kean, dean of Undergraduate Studies, is chairperson of the UNL effort.

Kean and Chancellor Harvey Perlman encourage a continued spirit of giving based on past years’ success.

“In recent years, UNL has been honored for being the top donor to the Combined Campaign, earned recognition for having the largest increase in number of Leadership Givers, and also the largest number of ‘Women in Philanthropy’ donors of any contributing group,” said Kean and Perlman in a letter to campus. “Although being the best is rewarding, what is even more rewarding is knowing that we have played an important part in the lives of those in our community who otherwise would not have enough for some of life’s ‘basics’ of food, shelter, health care, safety and basic educational opportunities.”

Organizations supported by the campaign are the United Way, supporting 39 agencies; Community Health Charities of Nebraska, supporting 17 agencies; and the Community Services Fund, supporting 24 agencies. Employees may give to any specific agency or to the three general funds, and a variety of giving options exist.

UNITED WAY NUMBERS

Campus Donations

UNL ranked as the top donor among all public and private contributors in the 2009 Combined Campaign. In the four previous years, UNL finished second overall. Campus donations in the last five years were:

Year – Total – Rank

2009 – $408,685 – 1
2008 – $385,450 – 2
2007 – $370,415 – 2
2006 – $333,354 – 2
2005 – $331,207 – 2